Foldable food riser

ABSTRACT

The application provides for a collapsible, foldable stand which has at least one support face, and at least two support members. These support members are affixed to this support face via a first set of at least two rotation mechanisms, where these at least two rotation mechanisms allow the support members to rotate about the support face. Additionally, at least two lateral members exist, where these lateral members are connected to the aforementioned support members via a second set of at least two rotation mechanisms.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/150,971, entitled “FOLDABLE FOOD RISER,” filed on Apr. 22, 2015, the contents of which are hereby fully incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The invention and its embodiments relate to foldable food risers, in particular foldable food risers that can be easily placed into, and removed from storage.

BACKGROUND OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Be it a backyard barbeque, a large comic book convention, a Quinceañera, a wedding party, or any number of other events, entertaining is a part of many American's lives. That said, while enjoyable, entertaining can be a considerable amount of work. Frequently, hours, if not days, go into the preparation for various events. Depending on the type of event, the required of preparations will necessarily be different. However, there are a few things that are generic to the vast majority of events. One such thing is the consumption of food and drinks.

Procuring the necessary food and drink is one aspect of entertaining, however, many professionals believe that presentation of these items is at least as important as the preparation. For this reason, professional, semi-professional, and amateur entertainers often purchase elaborate contraptions that allow them to attractively display their food, drink, and other similar faire.

While many different products exist that allow food to be displayed attractively, many of them are highly ornate and require great care and expense to be stored properly. Further, many professional entertainers and their support staff are working out of locations with limited space, which further exacerbates the problem of storing the tools used to display food.

Thus, there exists a need for an attractive, durable, and easily stored food display device.

Review of Related Technology:

U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,333 pertains to a portable cooking area liner for all types of outdoor grills. The portable cooking area comprises a frame with necessary supports to allow cooking on said liner, yet preventing food from touching the original grid area. This portable cooking areas can be collapsed onto itself for easy storage.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,683 pertains to a carrying case that is capable of concerting into a table. This carrying case includes a lid portion which is hingedly connected to a bottom portion such that an interior space is formed between the lid portion and the bottom portion of the carrying case. When in a closed position, this interior space can house such that items can be stored and carried. Further, the carrying case has one or more legs with dimensions that fit within the interior space are attached to at least one of the case portions. The legs are positioned so as to support one or both of the case portions in a substantially horizontal orientation.

Various devices are known in the art. However, their structure and means of operation are substantially different from the present invention. Such devices fail to provide a device that is attractive, durable, and easily-stored. At least one embodiment of this invention is presented in the drawings below, and will be described in more detail herein.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides for a foldable stand, comprising: at least one support face, at least two support members, wherein said at least two support members are affixed to said at least one support face via a first set of at least two rotation mechanisms, wherein said at least two rotation mechanisms allow said at least two support members to rotate about said at least one support face, at least two lateral members, wherein said at least two lateral members are connected to said at least two support members via a second set of at least two rotation mechanisms, which provide for said at least two support members to rotate about said at least two lateral members.

The present invention also contemplates the aforementioned foldable stand, further comprising at least one rigid member, wherein said at least one rigid member is sized to rest on any of said at least one support face, said at least two support members, said at least two lateral members, or any combination thereof. Preferably, the at least one rigid member is substantially flat. In some embodiments, the at least one rigid member is circular

In an alternative embodiment, the present invention is equipped with at least one rubber grip affixed to said at least one support face. This rubber grip will ensure that when the present invention is equipped with a rigid member, the rigid member will not slide off of the stand upon which it rests. In yet another embodiment, the present invention is equipped with at least one insert. This insert may be permanently attached to the present invention and is intended to be inserted between the support face of the present invention and one of the rotation mechanisms. The insert will prevent the rotation mechanisms from rotating, effectively locking the present invention in whatever position it was in when the insert is engaged.

The present invention may be constructed out of a number of materials. Preferably, the present invention would be constructed out of copper, non-rigid plastic, polyvinylchloride, brass, cast iron, galvanized iron, or rigid plastic. However, it should be noted that there exist many, not specifically enumerated materials that would be suitable to construct the present invention out of.

In many embodiments, the present invention also employs a series of unified, dual t-joint, comprising: a first opening; a second opening, wherein a substantially contained volume of space exists between said first opening and said second opening; a third opening, wherein said third opening is perpendicular to said first opening and said second opening, wherein said third opening is fluidly connected to said substantially contained volume of space; a fourth opening, wherein said fourth opening is perpendicular to said first opening and said second opening, wherein said fourth opening is fluidly connected to said substantially contained volume of space.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for displaying food attractively.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible, foldable food riser.

It is an object of the present invention to ease the burden of entertaining a plurality of guests.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a durable stand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of several embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention, being used to attractively display a plurality of dishes.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the same embodiment of the present invention, resting in a different orientation, being used to attractive display a plurality of bottles.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of two embodiments of the present invention, each being equipped with a substantially rigid member.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention, showing that the substantially rigid member need not lie in the same plane as the at least one support face of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the dual t-joint connector of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the present invention that is equipped with the extended support members and two upper members.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Identical elements in the various figures are identified with the same reference numerals.

Reference will now be made in detail to each embodiment of the present invention. Such embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the present invention, which is not intended to be limited thereto. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate upon reading the present specification and viewing the present drawings that various modifications and variations can be made thereto.

Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of several embodiments of the present invention is provided for. As can be seen from this figure, the length of at least two support members 102 can vary between different embodiments. These varying heights allow for multiple embodiments of the invention to be used in tandem, while creating a visually pleasing multi-level effect. Of note here, and present in all of these embodiments are at least one support face 101, at least two support members 102, first set of at least two rotation mechanisms 103, second set of at least two rotation mechanisms 104, and at least two lateral members 105. Located in these particular embodiments is also at least two connection members 110. In many embodiments, when at least two connection members 110 are equipped the entire invention gains another level of symmetry.

There are particular embodiments which are also suitable for use as a stove when combined with an appropriate heat source. In one preferred embodiment, the rigid member is substantially flat, while in other the rigid member is circular, and in others the rigid member is constructed out of wood. There exist embodiments combining these features.

Preferably, the present invention will be constructed out of hollow copper pipes and pipe connectors. This material allows for natural rotation of first set of at least two rotation mechanisms 103 and second set of at least two rotation mechanisms 104 about at least one support face 101. Further, this construction allows for a heated or cooled fluid to be pumped throughout the present invention resulting in it cooling or heating the ambient area.

Turning to FIG. 2, a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention, being used to attractively display a plurality of dishes is provided for. This embodiment contains of at least one support face 101, two of at least two lateral members 105, and three separate at least one substantially rigid member 107. In this embodiment, three support faces have been equipped. At least one substantially rigid members 107 may be constructed out of any material that is substantially rigid. For example, copper, plastic, wood, polyvinylchloride, brass, cast iron, galvanized iron, and rigid plastic are all suitable to construct at least one substantially rigid member 107 out of. Further, a taught cloth would also be suitable for this purpose. In this particular embodiment, each of the at least one support face 101 is located at a different heights.

In all of the embodiments of the present invention the entire assembly is capable of collapsing such that it becomes substantially flat. This reduced volume allows for the device to be stored much more easily than if it did not collapse. Further, because the present invention collapses so that it is substantially flat, it is very easy to stack multiple devices atop each other.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the same embodiment of the present invention, resting in a different orientation, being used to attractively display a plurality of bottles. Of note here is how the same embodiment depicted in FIG. 2 can still be effectively used as a stand, despite the fact that it has been rotated 90 degrees. This ability to be useful from a number of different orientations is an essential feature of the various embodiments of the present invention. Also of note in this view is how the present invention can be used to display food and drink items even when it is not equipped with at least one substantially rigid member 107. At least one support face 101, at least two support members 102 and first set of at least two rotation mechanisms 103 can be seen in this view.

Referring to FIG. 4, a perspective view of two embodiments of the present invention, each being equipped with a substantially rigid member, is provided for. Specifically, this figure shows at least one support face 101, at least two support members 102, at least two lateral members 105, at least one substantially rigid member 107. It should be recognized that at least one substantially rigid member 107 need not rest wholly on at least one support face 101, but may rest on some combination of the components of the present invention.

In a preferred embodiment, first set of at least two rotation mechanisms 103 and second set of at least two rotation mechanisms 104 will be equipped with a pin lock mechanism that provides for the components of the present invention to be locked into predetermined, visually pleasing, configurations. In another preferred embodiment, the present invention is equipped with a series of inserts that go in between first set of at least two rotation mechanisms 103 and second set of at least two rotation mechanisms 104, and the components of the present invention that they are connected to. These inserts will cause a limited friction fit to exist such that the present invention will be locked into a desired configuration. In a preferred embodiment, first set of at least two rotation mechanisms 103 and second set of at least two rotation mechanisms 104 are comprised of one t-joint. In an alternative embodiment, first set of at least two rotation mechanisms 103 and second set of at least two rotation mechanisms 104 are comprised of two t-joints. In an exemplary embodiment, first set of at least two rotation mechanisms 103 and second set of at least two rotation mechanisms 104 are comprised of the unified, dual t-joint of the present invention (See FIG. 6). This particular joint eases the collapsibility of the invention, reduces the construction cost, and provides greater stability when the present invention is in use.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention, showing that the substantially rigid member need not lie in the same plane as the at least one support face of the present invention. This figure is intended to show yet another orientation and configuration of the present invention that allows for at least one substantially rigid member 107 to be sufficiently supported. This figure highlights, at least one support face 101, at least two support members 102, first set of at least two rotation mechanisms 103, second set of at least two rotation mechanisms 104, at least two lateral members 105, and at least one substantially rigid member 107. In a preferred embodiment, a different rigid member is inserted in between the at least two support members when the present invention is in this orientation. This provides for additional storage and further varies the number of iterations in which the present invention can be constructed.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the dual t-joint connector of the present invention. Of note here are first opening 601, second opening 602, third opening 604, fourth opening 605 and substantially contained volume of space 603. This is a single construction.

Referring to FIG. 7, an embodiment of the present invention that is equipped with the extended support members and two upper members is provided for. Specifically, this figure highlights, three of the at least one support face 101, first set of at least two rotation mechanisms 103 and second set of at least two rotation mechanisms 104, at least two lateral members 105, at least one substantially rigid member 107, at least two extended support members 108, and at least one upper member 109. At least one upper member 109 may be used to create a “hanging salad.” That is, a lattice can be hung from at least one upper member 109, and a wide variety of foods can be attractively displayed along the lattice. This allows people to pick the ingredients for their salad directly off of the present invention.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is equipped with a plurality of rubber washers. This plurality of rubber washers inhibits any potential for at least one substantially rigid member 107 from slipping.

In another preferred embodiment, the present invention is capable of supporting at least 130 lbs. In yet another preferred embodiment, the present invention is equipped with a plurality of lights. In an alternative embodiment, the present invention is equipped with an anti-scratch coating. In yet another embodiment, the present invention is equipped with at least one piece of tubing. This tubing may be clear and may be constructed out of any durable plastic material. This tubing provides additional friction between the stand of the present invention and the at least one rigid member of the present invention by having a high coefficient of static friction.

It should be noted that the present invention can be comprised out of steel, and that any suitable construction of the present invention may be electroplated with a finish comprising, for example, gold, cobalt, satin nickel, brushed nickel, or oil rubbed bronze.

It an exemplary embodiment, the present invention may be combined with a second embodiment of the present invention by resting at least one substantially rigid member across the at least one support member of the present invention. In an alternative embodiment, the present invention, further comprising at least one insert, wherein said insert is permanently affixed to said at least one support face, and can be removably inserted in between said at least one support face and said at least two rotation mechanisms, such that rotation is inhibited.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is equipped with a cross-bar extending between two support members. This is particularly important when the present invention is equipped with three support faces as the cross bar allows those embodiments to collapse with ease.

It should be contemplated that the present invention can be coated with a lubricant to ease the folding/collapsing/aligning process of the present invention. Further, embodiments exist where the present invention further comprises at least two extended support members. In a preferred embodiment, these at least two extended support members extend at least one foot beyond the upper most of said at least one support face.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is equipped with a unified, dual t-joint, comprising: a first opening; a second opening, wherein a substantially cylindrical volume of space exists between said first opening and said second opening; a third opening, wherein said third opening is perpendicular to said first opening and said second opening, wherein said third opening is fluidly connected to said substantially contained volume of space; a fourth opening, wherein said fourth opening is perpendicular to said first opening and said second opening, wherein said fourth opening is fluidly connected to said substantially contained volume of space.

When introducing elements of the present disclosure or the embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. Similarly, the adjective “another,” when used to introduce an element, is intended to mean one or more elements. The terms “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive such that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

While the disclosure refers to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications will be appreciated by those skilled in the art to adapt a particular instrument, situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the spirit thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed.

Further configurations and exemplary embodiments of the present invention are attached in the appendix, the contents of which are incorporated by reference into the specification. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A foldable stand, comprising: at least one support face; at least two support members; wherein said at least two support members are affixed to said at least one support face via a first set of at least two rotation mechanisms, wherein said at least two rotation mechanisms allow said at least two support members to rotate about said at least one support face; at least two lateral members, wherein said at least two lateral members are connected to said at least two support members via a second set of at least two rotation mechanisms, which provide for said at least two support members to rotate about said at least two lateral members.
 2. The foldable stand of claim 1, further comprising at least one substantially rigid member, wherein said at least one substantially rigid member is sized to rest on any of said at least one support face, said at least two support members, said at least two lateral members, or any combination thereof.
 3. The foldable stand of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of tubing affixed to said at least one support face.
 4. The foldable stand of claim 1, further comprising at least one insert, wherein said insert is permanently affixed to said at least one support face, and can be removably inserted in between said at least one support face and said at least two rotation mechanisms, such that rotation is inhibited.
 5. The foldable stand of claim 1, wherein said foldable stand is comprised out of a material selected from the group consisting of copper, non-rigid plastic, polyvinylchloride, brass, cast iron, galvanized iron, and rigid plastic.
 6. The foldable stand of claim 1, wherein said foldable stand is electroplated with a finish.
 7. The foldable stand of claim 1, further comprising a substantially flat rigid member resting across said at least one support member.
 8. The foldable stand of claim 1, wherein all intersections between said at least one support face, said first set of at least two rotation mechanisms, said second set of at least two rotation mechanisms, at least two support members, and at least two lateral members are in fluid contact with a lubricant.
 9. The foldable stand of claim 1, further comprising at least two extended support members, and at least one upper member, connected to said at least two extended support members, wherein said at least two extended support members extend at least one foot beyond the upper-most of said at least one support face.
 10. The foldable stand of claim 1, further comprising at least two connection members that are connected to said at least two lateral members.
 11. The foldable stand of claim 1, wherein said first set of at least two rotation mechanisms and the second set of at least two rotation mechanisms are equipped with a pin lock mechanism, such that the foldable stand can be secured in a variety of positions.
 12. The foldable stand of claim 1, wherein said foldable stand is constructed out of a plurality of pipes and pipe connectors.
 13. The foldable stand of claim 1, wherein the foldable stand is configured to have warm or cold fluid pumped throughout said plurality of pipes and pipe connectors.
 14. The foldable stand of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of feet attached in a perpendicular orientation with regard to said at least two lateral members.
 15. A repositionable stand comprising: a first portion; a second portion; a first rotation mechanism; a second rotation mechanism, wherein said first rotation mechanism and said second rotation mechanism are connected to said first portion, a third rotation mechanism; a fourth rotation mechanism; wherein said third rotation mechanism and said fourth rotation mechanism are connected to said second portion; and a plurality of connecting members, wherein said plurality of connecting members connect said first portion to said second portion via said first rotation mechanism, said second rotation mechanism, said third rotation mechanism, and said fourth rotation mechanism.
 16. The repositionable stand of claim 15, wherein said repositionable stand is comprised out of a material selected from the group consisting of copper, non-rigid plastic, polyvinylchloride, brass, cast iron, galvanized iron, and rigid plastic.
 17. The repositionable stand of claim 15, wherein said repositionable stand is electroplated with a finish.
 18. The repositionable stand of claim 15, further comprising a rigid member, sized to rest on said first portion, said second portion, or any combination thereof.
 19. The repositionable stand of claim 15, further comprising a pin lock mechanism, capable of limiting movement of said first set of at least two rotation mechanisms or said second set of at least two rotation mechanisms.
 20. An adaptive stand, comprising: a support face; a first rotation mechanism, wherein said first rotation mechanism is rotatably connected to said support face; a second rotation mechanism, wherein said second rotation mechanism is rotatably connected to said support face; a first leg attached to said first rotation mechanism, having a lateral component; and a second leg attached to said second rotation mechanism, having a lateral component.
 21. The adaptive stand of claim 20, further comprising a rigid member, sized to rest on said support face, said first leg, said second leg, or any combination thereof.
 22. The adaptive stand of claim 20, further comprising at least one insert, wherein said insert is permanently affixed to said support face and is capable of being removably inserted in between said support face and said first rotation mechanism or said second rotation mechanism, such that rotation of the adaptive stand is inhibited.
 23. The adaptive stand of claim 20, wherein said adaptive stand is comprised of a plurality of pipes and pipe connectors constructed out of a material selected from the group consisting of copper, non-rigid plastic, polyvinylchloride, brass, cast iron, galvanized iron, and rigid plastic.
 24. The adaptive stand of claim 20, wherein all intersections between said support face, said first rotation mechanism, said second rotation mechanism at least one support face, said first set of at least two rotation mechanisms, said second set of at least two rotation mechanisms, at least two support members.
 25. The foldable stand of claim 1, wherein said foldable stand is covered with an anti-scratch coating. 